Aren't They Wicked Little Things?
by destiny's sweet melody
Summary: Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl and take her to her family home up north. They soon learn of the zombie Wicked. They want blood, and just about everyone's fair game. Full Summary inside.
1. Legend of the Wicked

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or its characters. Just my plot and OCs.

A/N: Well, I got the idea to make this when I was watching this zombie chiller movie called "Wicked Little Things". It's loosely based on it, there are some things that never happened in the movie, and yet there are some things that if you watched it you'll see the obvious connection.

This chapter's really just like a prologue, I just don't like calling them prologues. I don't know why.

This is the revised version, since I made a lot of typos last time. I don't llike making a lot of mistakes so here you are.

* * *

**Summary:**

Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to go to her family home up north and soon learn of the Wicked. The zombies of miner children that died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

* * *

**Aren't They Wicked Little Things?**

**Chapter 1:**

**Legend of the Wicked**

Decades ago in a small village located atop Winter Mountain there lived a very large and _poor _family.

The only way they could afford living was by sending their children to work for a greedy man who owned the entire mountain. The only work they could find was as miners.

They could fit in places the adult miners couldn't.

This is where everything begins.

Decades ago, as a miner sent a little girl, no older than ten, down a cramped tunnel. Her job was to feed some dynamite at the end of the tunnel, so they can blow it up and mine even further.

"Yuka, just feed the dynamite and get out." The miner said soothingly to calm the young girl.

Yuka tied a wire to the dynamite and headed back out. Until the mine started to shake. She was so scared she hid in a corner and wouldn't move no matter how much the miner called out to her.

Another miner called from above to blow it up no matter what, because their boss said so.

"But she's just a child!" The miner cried unto deaf ears. After moments of arguing they set off the dynamite causing a cave in.

Not only killing Yuka, but also her other thirteen brothers, sisters, and cousins. The oldest of which was only fourteen.

* * *

Present day, Naruto and Hinata stood just outside the gates of Konoha staring at their chage, Teppy Tao. 

She was a recently orphaned girl whose parents were killed in some random bandit attack. She somehow survived and found her way to Konoha.

About a day ago a mysterious, and anonymous, client payed for someone to take Tao to her old family home. And Naruto and Hinata were the only ones available.

Tao was quiet, _way _quiet.

She wouldn't say a word no matter how many questions Naruto asked. He finally stopped when Hinata told him she was probably traumatized from her parents' deaths.

That, however, didn't stop him from wondering aloud, "Why do you think baa-chan said to pack warm?"

"Because it's not called Winter Mountain for nothing." Tao finally said, hugging her kitten shaped teddy bear closer to herself.

* * *

A/N: Ok so like I said this is only like a prologue so the rest of the chapters will be longer. And I have them written down, just have to type them up. 

Tao: japanese name

Teppy: Not!

Like the next chapter will explain, Tao's ancestors went to Winter Mountain from a far away land. Technically, they were immigrants. I do like saying Teppy Tao a lot though, I think it's fun!

Please read & review!

-Destiny's sweet melody


	2. Up the Mountain

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or its characters. Just my plot and OCs.

A/N: Well I decided not to make a chapter about them traveling toward Winter Mountain because I thought it would be boring. And just so Tao doesn't seem so out of character from last chapter I'd just like to say that she started opening up while hanging out with Naruto and Hinata. Remember what they make a point of repeating in the anime: Naruto has a way of changing people.

**To Bluejx23: **I wasn't really going for creepy, but something to that effect.

To those who added this story to their alerts and favorites, THANK YOU!

* * *

**Summary:**

Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to go to her family home up north and soon learn of the Wicked. The zombies of miner children that died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

* * *

**Aren't They Wicked Little Things?**

**Chapter 2:**

**Up the Mountain**

Tao wasn't kidding.

By the time that they got to the base of Winter Mountain, which took about three days, they were starting to feel the freezing winds that surround the mountain three-hundred and sixty-five days a year. It was cold!

There was a small town at the base of the mountain called Rei town. Everyone said it would be the last bit of civilization they would see once they headed up the mountain.

"The Village", as everyone called it, was hardly what they called civilized. The trio couldn't help but wonder why.

Tao didn't know. All she had to go on were her father's stories.

An old man was kind enough to lend them his rusted, old truck because, as he said, "Their bodies would go numb before they got halfway there."

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Naruto asked boredly from the passenger's seat. 

He was a little ticked off he couldn't drive. But there was good reason.

The first time, he couldn't even start the truck. The second try, he couldn't use the stick shift. The third and _last_ time, he drove it into a tree.

Hinata, on the other hand, was a natural.

"Calm down, Naruto-kun. We're almost there."

"This place is creepy," The blonde muttered, "It looks like that movie where everyone gets chopped in half."

"Yea, it kinda does." Tao agreed, her voice shaky as she looked at the forest they were driving through.

"Stop it," Hinata scolded Naruto, "You're scaring Tao."

"But it's true!" The ten year old cried.

"Tao, stop it!" Hinata stared at her sternly.

"Watch out!"

Hinata looked back just in time to see the small figure of a boy carrying a pick axe run in front of the truck. She managed to swerve around the boy in time. When the truck stopped spinning Hinata was too in shock to even let go of the wheel.

"Where are you going!?" She asked when Naruto ran out of the car toward where the little boy was seen.

However, the boy seemed to be long gone. There _was_ a big puddle of blood with chunks of flesh floating in it. He immediately ran back to the truck.

"Did I kill a little boy?" Hinata asked fearfully. It's not like she hadn't ever killed someone, but kids are a different story.

"No." Naruto responded quickly.

"Well is he okay?"

"I don't know. He wasn't there anymore. Drive!"

"What?"

"Just drive."

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me," Tao said as she stepped out of the truck, "This is what my family left me?" 

Sure enough, before the trio was an old, run down two-story house.

They walked up the brick path up to the front door. There seemed to be something smeared on it. Something familiar to the older two of the group, but not the younger one.

"What is that Hinata?"

"It's blood." Naruto answered.

"No it's not," Hinata briefly glared at Naruto, "It's just paint."

"Why would someone smear paint on our door?"

"I don't know; maybe it was an accident."

Naruto took out the key for the door to save Hinata from more questions. When he put the key close to the keyhole it opened on it's own.

That also reminded him of a certain horror movie.

"The lock's probably just bad." Hinata explained, mostly just to calm her own nerves.

"Well, that's reassuring,"

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata demanded he stop saying things that scared her as they walked into the house. She knew he didn't mean it, but that didn't take away from the fear.

"Hmm...it looks bigger on the inside. I'm going to go see my room!" Tao announced, smiling for the first time.

Naruto and Hinata also decided to seperate and investigate too. While Hinata stayed on the first floor, Naruto poked around the basement. He had just found a small wooden chest when he heard something that sent him running back as fast as he could.

Hinata screaming.

He found her huddled in a corner of the kitchen. Crying.

He sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. Waiting for her to calm down and explain.

"A rat...when I opened the cabinet...I think it's rabid and it tried to bite throat off." She managed to say between hiccups.

"A rat?"

"Yes, a rat!...I had a bad experience with them when I was four."

"What happened?"

"I woke up with one...crawling on my neck!" The memory sent fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

It took a while for her to finally calm down, but she finally managed to calm down enough to cook dinner. A very _late _dinner.

* * *

Dinner that night was unhealthily silent. 

"So Tao," Hinata started, she really didn't like awkward silences, "What type of name is Teppy?"

"A very old one, from very far away." Tao replied, going back to sulking.

"Well...I like it. It sounds nice."

"It means 'Wicked One'."

* * *

A/N: So there's chapter two! Sorry it took so long, my sister was hogging the laptop. I'm very mad at her right now, I had to use the old family computer to type this up. 

So, that thing that happened to Hinata with the rat, it actually happened to me. Except it a was a roach. Eew. It doesn't make me cry though, it makes me want revenge. Revenge!

Oh, and I enabled anonymous reviews! I didn't even know I had them disabled 'till someone mentioned it in my other fic. So those that don't have accounts or are too lazy to log-in, you no longer have an excuse to not review.

Pls read & review!

-Destiny's sweet melody


	3. Wicked Dreams

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or its characters. Just my plot and OCs.

A/N: I'm back from vacation, well actually I've been back for a while I just have a huge headache and being near technology for too long just makes it worse. Anyways here's the next chapter!

**To bluejx23: **Cool, my fic has potential. LOL! I may ask you for help with ideas for some of those heroic monologues.

**To NaruHinaforever: **Thank you!

* * *

**Summary:**

Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to take her to her family home up north and soon learn of the Wicked. The zombies of miner children that died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

* * *

**Aren't They Wicked Little Things?**

**Chapter 3:**

**Wicked Dreams**

"Eew," Tao announced as she saw a large black spot in her new, and obviously used, mattress.

"Don't worry, this is easily taken care of." Hinata told her as she flipped the mattress over. Luckily, the other side was adequately clean.

After dressing the bed with the new sheets they had brought with them, she left the room to let Tao dress herself for bed. Tao couldn't take a bath before bed like she was used to because there was no water in the house. This also meant they had to use an outhouse out back.

Hinata made a mental note to never go after dark.

Inside her room, Tao finished dressing herself in her sugar pink pajamas and styled her honey-blonde hair in a braid.

She picked up her kitten shaped teddy, whom she revealed was named Kororo, and sat on her bed.

It was a little lumpy, and she was a little worried about the "rabid rat" that attacked Hinata. Suddenly, she felt a shiver go down her spine.

**Pop!**

The bulb from her lamp just burst!

"Hinata!"

* * *

At first, Naruto thought it was a little strange that Hinata had asked him to sleep in the same bed as her. That is, until Tao suddenly laid down between them. 

"Thanks for letting me sleep with you two." Tao gratefully said, cuddling into Kororo.

_'This is going to suck the fun out of sleeping in the same bed.'_ Naruto thought.

* * *

The old steps creaked as a little twelve year old boy with pale, pasty skin and a pick axe climbed them. **(1)**

He wore a grey winter coat and thick black pants that seemed too small for him. Covered in dirt from head to toe.

The boy opened a door on the second floor and saw three figures sleeping on a king-sized bed.

He walked toward the bed and stood over one of the figures. Which happened to be a fifteen year old blue haired girl. He grabbed his pick axe with both hands and held it over head.

It hovered in the air for a moment, if this was before it would've taken all his strength just to pick it up but now he could hold it menacingly over his head with ease, and the blue haired girl seemed to stir a bit in her sleep. Before she could wake up the boy connected the pick axe with her gut.

Hinata woke up up screaming. Of course, the first thing Naruto asked was if the rat was back.

"Rat!?" Tao screeched. She started kicking in random directions in order to escape the imaginary rodent and ended up kicking her blonde guardian off of the bed.

"It's okay, there's no rat." Hinata explained, "I just had a bad dream."

If any of them had looked out the window, they would've seen the small figure of a boy walking back into the forest.

* * *

Two days passed before a plumber finally came from Rei town. 

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called from the kitchen as she served Tao breakfast. It consisted of cereal, toast, bacon, and a glass of orange juice.

Naruto appeared in the doorway with a wooden chest in his arms, "What's up?"

"I need you to drive down to Rei town and pick up some groceries."

"Rei town?"

"Yes, Rei town."

"Uh...Hinata-chan, I haven't had a bath in two days. I'm not going anywhere that there's people.

Hinata sighed and sweatdropped. "Fine, I'll go. Just take care of Tao and keep an eye on the plumber." She instructed as she grabbed her coat and keys. Before she left she turned back to him, "You know, sometimes you're girlier than me."

This sent Tao into a laughing fit. It _was_ true as far as she could see. A pissed off Naruto ordered Tao to finish her breakfast and left to check on the plumber.

Tao had just finished eating her cereal when she heard what sounded like giggling. She grabbed Kororo and walked out the front door, and closer to the forest.

"Hello?"

More giggling.

"Who's there?"

* * *

Naruto poked through the chest while the plumber explained that he would have to replace everything but he would be done in a few hours. Muttering something like, "I'm definitely going to be out of here by nightfall." 

"Hey who are these?" Naruto asked the plumber, showing him an old picture of fourteen kids.

"Those are the kids who, years ago, worked in the old mine."

Naruto put the picture back in the chest and took out an equally old newspaper clipping. It had the picture of a stern-looking man and the headline read, "Charges Dropped In Mining Disaster."

"Who's this guy?"

"What!?"

"This guy. In the paper." Naruto explained slowly, as if to a child.

"That's Ayanami Kensuke. The first. He used to own this mountain and everyone on it. Now his grandson's trying to take it all back." The annoyed plumber explained.

"Maybe he'll want to buy this place, Tao doesn't want it."

"If you want to ask him just check in his old mansion. It's just down the road from you."

A noise was heard from the kitchen, and when Tao didn't answer Naruto went looking for her only to find a huge rat eating her food and the front door wide open. He immediately ran out to look for her and after a while of searching he guessed she went into the forest.

That's bad! He remembered the words of the old man that lent them the truck.

"Don't go into the forest. It's easy to get lost and never be found.

* * *

A/N: There's chapter three and I want to explain some things which is what the** (1**) is about. 

Well, for one, the Wicked aren't going to look like the zombies from Resident Evil (my favorite) or 28 days later. When you picture them think like the little boy from the Grudge. He looks pretty normal, except for being abnormally pale and pasty faced.

I also noticed some people spell pick axe like me or pickaxe, or even pick-axe. I don't want this to seem like a typo, just wanted to let you know I write as two seperate words.

Also, if you're ever in a place that only has an outhouse to serve as a toi-toi, don't go after dark. Seriously! Unless you want to be more than friends with the roaches, or it's brand new.

Pls read & review!

-Destiny's sweet melody


	4. It Means Savior

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or its characters. Just my plot and OCs.

A/N: I just wanted to say that I just recently found out that Wicked Little Things is one of the 8 films to die for, someone mentioned, but also my sis' boyfriend lent me two of them and saw that Wicked Little Things was on the list. That's awesome! XD

**To blueothello:** I've seen The Hamiltons, Reincarnation, Wicked Little Things, and Gravedancers.

**To NaruHinaforever:** That creepy little kid is one of the Wicked. He's actually kind of like the leader, even though they're being controlled by someone else. It'll be explained later.

* * *

**Summary:**

Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to go to her family home up north and soon learn of "the Wicked". The zombies of miner children that died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

* * *

**Aren't They Wicked Little Things?**

**Chapter 4:**

**It Means Savior**

Tao walked through the forest, Kororo in hand.

She had been walking for a while now. Somewhere along the way the giggles turned to words.

Amazing words.

Then the words turned to stories. Great stories of life decades ago. After about two stories the myterious voice had charmed her. It even revealed it's name.

Yuka.

It used more stories to lure her deeper into the forest. Even though she was very afraid.

She reached what looked like a tunnel. It was dark and creepy.

"I'm scared; can't you come out here?" Tao asked.

Something seemed to answer her, but nobody else would've been able to hear it.

She took a deep breath and started walking foward. Two steps and she tripped, her right knee falling on something hard. She sat on her bum and hugged her knee, which was now bleeding.

She looked at what she was sitting on. It looked like train tracks, but they were too small to be for a train. They looked more like what you'd find in a mine.

She stood up again and headed towards the opening.

"Tao!"

* * *

Hinata and the owner of Rei's stop and shop, who also happened to be the owner of the truck, loaded her groceries onto the back of the truck. He wished her good luck and went back to his job. 

Hinata thought it was a little strange that a complete stranger was being so nice, but decided not to jinx it. It's not that she doesn't trust people, but her family isn't exactly a helpful-stranger type of bunch; it was just new.

"And whose baby are you?" A voice called from behind her before she could open the truck door. She turned to the voice and saw a small car with three people in it. A guy in the driver's seat, a girl in the passenger's, and what looked like another guy in the back.

Hinata wasn't what you'd call experienced with guys, but she could tell when someone was hitting on her. In a very rude way. She tried to think what her friends would do in her position. If they got too out of line, Sakura would send them flying, Tenten would do something like that, and Ino would probably flirt with them a little before she completely, and publicly, humiliated them.

"Definetely not yours," She finally answered, deciding to go with the last half of Ino's technique and sending the girl and guy in the back into a fit of giggles in the process.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" The driver asked brushing off the insult, "Well, I've got something hard for you to get."

The girl smacked the back of his head and Hinata could feel a blush coming to her cheeks.

She had to get out of there.

"Hey, what's your name?" The second boy stuck his head out.

"I'm Hinata," She replied before she could think.

"I'm Hikaru, the perv is Boken, and she's Maya."

"Where are you staying?" Maya asked.

"Up in the village."

"What? With the Wicked!?" Boken exclaimed, and Hinata could see Maya roll her eyes. Her curiousity got the best of her.

"The Wicked?"

* * *

"We're lost, aren't we?" Tao asked Naruto. 

He had managed to to stop her from going down the mine. Then proceeded to drag her away but kind of got lost on the way.

"We're not lost, just a little disoriented." Naruto reassured her, and himself. It was starting to get dark and creepy, "Look I think I see lights."

They followed the lights to the main road, and a truck that was crushed against a tree. The motor was still running, the door on the driver's side was wide open, and there was a trail of blood leading back to the forest. Most of all, it was familiar.

_'That's the plumber's truck.'_ The demon container thought.

They decided to stick to the road, since they did take it to get to the house in the first place. It lead them to a small shack with a familiar smear in the front door.

The door was unlocked so they decided to let themselves in. The inside wasn't any better than the outside. It looked like it was just one big room with a mess that made Naruto's apartment look like the cleanest place on Earth.

It didn't have any pictures, a small bed, two chairs, some things that reminded Naruto of his stays in the hospital, and a creepy looking guy. Wait a minute, a creep looking guy!?

Tao couldn't help but scream. "My name is Salvater Kaji." The man calmly introduced himself, as if strangers sneaking into his house was an everyday thing.

"We're sorry, we got lost." Naruto explained.

"You live in the Teppy house?"

"Um..yeah." Tao said from behind Naruto, which was where she hid after she screamed.

"Keep walking up the main road, and walk fast!" Kaji instructed as he shooed them out the door, "I'll be watching your doors."

That last part clicked in Naruto's mind. "Hey, wait a minute! Did you put the blood on our door?" He asked, careful not to say blood too loudly.

"No need to thank me. Come back in the daylight." Kaji said before closing the door in his face.

Obvioulsy he hadn't said blood so quietly because as they were walking home Tao explained that perhaps Kaji thought he was protecting them. When she saw the weird look Naruto gave her, she just smiled and said, "His last name, in my ancestor's tounge it means savior."

* * *

A/N: Because of personal reasons, I won't be able to update as often as I woud've liked. I still will, though. It's nothing life threatning, but it's serious, nonetheless. 

Okay, Tao's ancestor's language isn't a real one, and it isn't part of the movie I made it up. So don't expect to ever hear it in real life.

Pls read & review!

-Destiny's sweet melody


	5. The Teppy

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or its characters. Just my plot and OCs.

A/N: I hope no one finds Tao too clingy to Hinata in the beginning, and vice versa. I just wanted to make it seem like they have a mother/daughter relationship while near the end it also shows like they have a bit of a sister-type relationship too.

**To NaruHinaforever:** Well, it's explained right now, but basically the Wicked can't really identify ppl by sight. Only by the scent or taste of blood, so the blood on the door keeps them away because it's not the one they're looking for.

**To werewolfluvr147:** Thank you! I'm glad to hear my fic's good.

* * *

**Summary:**

Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to go to her family home up north and soon learn of "the Wicked". The zombies of miner children who died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

* * *

**Aren't They Wicked Little Things**

**Chapter 5:**

**The Teppy**

The water was, thankfully, filling up the tub.

Seems the plumber did a pretty good job and Tao could finally take a bath. Right before dinner, just like she was used to.

At least something was finally going right. Now if only it could stay that way.

If only the water wouldn't suddenly stop running.

"Hinata!"

* * *

"Hey, at least you had a bath!" Naruto argued at dinner, in which Tao wouldn't stop complaining.

"Half a bath, Naruto! Only half!"

"So..." Hinata shyly said, "While I was in Rei town I kind of met someone and they want me to go somewhere with them."

Tao and Naruto were shocked, to say the least. Tao just stared while Naruto choked on his rice.

"Like a date?!" The two blondes asked.

"More like an outing with friends." It wasn't a date, was it? Hikaru was cute, but he can't like her, can he? Why would he invite his friends if he did? "So can I go?"

"Yea, can she go?" Tao asked Naruto, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto glared at the tiny honey-blonde for a second before turning to Hinata with a forced, and obviously fake, smile, "Sure; go have fun."

"Oh, that's great," Hinata breathed a sigh of relief, "'Cause I think I've already agreed."

Just as she finished that sentence a horn could be heard honking outside. Impatiently.

"What aren't they even going to come in?" Naruto asked.

Hinata just sighed and got up. "I'll make sure they don't bring me back too late. Take better care of Tao this time."

Naruto was a little ticked off at that last statement. She was the one leaving and _he _had to take better care of Tao? Okay, so he had kind of lost her before but he found her!

He smiled at the memory of when they got back just an hour earlier. Hinata was running around the house looking like she was about to burst into tears and almost crushed Tao with the hug she gave her when she saw the two blondes. Then she got a little mad when she heard what had happened.

Hinata reminded him of a documentary of an eagle he once saw. (A/N: He saw it by accident. XD) Beautiful to look at, but mess with one of her chicks and she'll claw your freakin' eyes out.

"I'm done," the honey-eyed girl announced, "Do you want me to help you clean up?"

"No, just go to bed." Naruto said as he started cleaning up the table.

_'He looks...sad.'_ Tao thought. Was he sad that Hinata went out with another guy? _'If he likes her so much why doesn't he just tell her?'_

Unfortunately, Tao didn't uderstand that you couldn't just tell the person you love how you feel. She was still in that time of life when everything is simple and black and white. When you can get someone to marry you without fear of rejection just by asking.

Even though he told her just to go to bed, she helped him take the dishes to the sink before heading to her room.

While he washed the dishes Naruto was pretty sure he saw a group of people walking away through the window. Thirteen people if he counted right.

A low creaking sound was heard from the front door. Why does every moment in that house have to be straight out of a horror movie?

When he went out check the door was slightly ajar, and he turned in time to see the small figure of a girl dissapear into the second floor hallway.

It couldn't be Tao; that girl had raven black hair and Tao was blonde. But that girl was heading straight to Tao's room!

* * *

Kaji led a pig into a clearing.

If it wasn't so dark out one could see the dried blood on the concrete floor. All in the exact spot he tied up the pig.

He had to remind himself that he was doing God's work. He was making sure no other people died. It was the least he could do after all.

A little boy watched him as he walked away, but he wasn't important. He could smell Kaji's blood and it wasn't the one they were after.

There was something else there, however. He couldn't smell it's blood, so it's possible. Possible that their thirty year long journey would finally be over.

The plump pig squealed in fear, then pain, as thirteen wicked little things approached it and started ripping it apart. First with pick-axes, then with their bare hands.

It wasn't until they were done feasting on its innards that they noticed that the poor pig wasn't their target. They had wasted all their time on it and now they had to get back to the mine before the sun came up.

* * *

"Why are we going to see the man who put blood on our door?" Hinata asked as the trio walked towards Kaji's cabin the next day. She was truly confused, last time she checked you don't make friends with people who vandalize your home.

"Because there's some freaky stuff going on here and I think he knows what it is!" Naruto answered.

"He'll just tell you it's the Wicked."

"The Wicked?"

"Yes, Hikaru-kun and the others told me all about it. It's an urban legend about some miner kids who died, rose again, and kill people in the forest after dark."

"It's just Yuka and the others," Tao finally said something, "Yuka said she doesn't want to hurt you, but she worries about the others."

"Yuka?"

"Yes, Yuka! She used to sleep in my room, she says she just wants to go back."

"I get it! Yuka's your imaginary friend." Hinata reasoned. It wasn't uncommon for little kids who were forced to make big moves to unknown places.

"Yuka's real!" Tao shouted. She wasn't a baby, why would she have an imaginary friend?

"Sure," Hinata tried to sound like she believed Tao, but it came out more as sarcastic than believing.

"She is! Tell her Naruto!" It wasn't until that demand that either female noticed that said blonde had stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Both girls asked.

"I heard something," Naruto answered, "That way."

Following a path, that seemed to be man-made, they made their way to an old abandoned masion. Tao let out a scream when she saw a disembowled pig.

"What are you doing here?" A deep voice asked from behind them.

* * *

"He's gotta be kidding!" Naruto and Tao shouted.

The man that snuck up on them was Ayanami Kensuke...the third. He had the gall to insult them, accuse them of having something to do with the pig, and then say that they had three days to get out of their house.

"Appearantly not," Hinata explained, on her lap was the wooden chest Naruto found, in the chest she found the house's deed, "This is only a miner's deed. It's only good as long as their working for him as miners and the mine's been shut down for decades."

"So I'm going to lose my house?!" Tao asked. When no one answered she just stomped off to her room.

"Naruto-kun, there's something worrying me." Hinata said clutching the chest, "You know how Tao said her last name means 'Wicked One'?"

Naruto just nodded.

"Well the miners the Teppy sent to work were their kids. Um, well I think that these kids are the Wicked, and I think they really are zombes."

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A/N: That scene in which Yuka is seen going toward Tao's room will be shown in a later chapter. I just couldn't think of what to put when I originally wrote this chapter because in the movie the mom goes in and when she closes the door it's shown that Mary (the role Yuka's playing) was standing behind the door.

That wouldn't work here because Naruto's a ninja. If he can't tell there's a zombie standing right next to him he doesn't deserve to be called a ninja, does he?

Please read and review!

-Destiny's sweet melody


	6. Night of the Living Dead

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, or anything else.

A/N: Well, I finally got a new charger, so I can finally restart my fics. Yay!

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**Summary:** Naruto and Hinata get hired to take care of an orphan girl. They have to go to her family home up north and soon learn of "the Wicked". The zombies of miner children who died decades ago. They want blood, and just about everyone is fair game.

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**Aren't They Wicked Little Things?**

**Chapter 6:**

**Night of the Living Dead**

_Recap of last chapter:_ _"He's gotta be kidding!" Naruto and Tao shouted._

_The man that snuck up on them was Ayanami Kensuke...the third. He had the gall to insult them, accuse them of having something to do with the pig, and then say that they had three days to get out of their house._

_"Appearantly not," Hinata explained, on her lap was the wooden chest Naruto found, in the chest she found the house's deed, "This is only a miner's deed. It's only good as long as their working for him as miners and the mine's been shut down for decades."_

_"So I'm going to lose my house?" Tao asked. When no one answered she just stomped off to her room._

_"Naruto-kun, there's something worrying me." Hinata said clutching the chest, "You know how Tao said her last name means 'Wicked One'?"_

_Naruto just nodded._

_"Well the miners the Teppy sent to work were their kids. Um, well I think that these kids are the Wicked, and I think they really are zombes."_

"So you think there are real zombies and they're Tao's family?" Naruto half stated and half asked.

"Yes, I know it sounds crazy but there's been a lot of crazy things going on here that make it actually sound logical."

Naruto just stared at her, since when was he the sane one?

"Oh, forget it." Hinata sighed.

* * *

Tao sat by her window.

There was that sound again. That voice, those words, those stories. Those incredible stories of lands far away! They reminded her of her father's bedtime stories.

There was something strange, though. It always came from the shadow of the forest during the day. Almost as if she couldn't go out into the sunlight.

"Why don't you come over?" Tao asked.

"I can't...I'll die...again." The small voice answered. It sounded echoey and pained, as if it pained her to talk.

"Why don't they ever hear you, Yuka? They think you're imaginary."

"Only you can...blood...of my blood."

"Because we're friends?"

"More than friends...family." Yuka answered, "_She_ wants it to end now... I don't think I can protect...if you stay with them. Tonight... I want to take you... somewhere safe."

"Safe? What do you mean?"

"She'll order...Kohaku-nii-chan... the others... and myself to attack... I won't hurt... but I can't guarantee the others."

"You always say that, are you going to do something bad?"

Nothing.

"Yuka?"

Still no answer.

"Yuka, wait up!"

* * *

"Will you stop walking away?" Naruto asked.

After Hinata gave up trying to explain her theory to him she had taken to avoiding him. But he kept walking right behind her.

So she walked around the entire house, rearranging things and hoping he would get bored sometime soon. She was.

Naruto couldn't blame her for wanting to avoid him. He had looked at her as if she were crazy.

Why shouldn't he believe her? So what if zombies weren't supposed to be real? How many times had she been wrong? And she always believed in him, no matter what.

Hinata angrily scrubbed at some dishes that weren't even dirty. Anything to get her mind off of her previous humiliation. It was just what she needed, for her crush to think she was insane. Sometimes, life could be really mean. She just wanted to make sure he knew what was out there so he could protect himself. She just wanted to keep him safe.

It was ironic, actually. Just the day before Hikaru had told her the story of the Wicked like he really believed it and just wanted to keep _her_ safe. She just dumbly nodded when he finished the story, unsure what to think.

The only thing that she was sure of was that she had fun with her new friends. Even though Maya and Boken had spent most of the time making out. Maybe she could go out with them again.

Now that sounded appealing. Especially now.

Hinata didn't bother to explain to Naruto what she was doing as she picked up the phone and dialed Hikaru's number. She ignored his questions as she chatted with her friend, but she was sure he got the message when she said, "Okay, I'll see you at five, Hikaru-kun."

It wasn't her style to use anybody in any way, but she had to admit she _loved_ that look on Naruto's face. It was rather flattering, he looked really jealous.

She had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep from smiling as she went back to washing dishes, happily this time, and Naruto knew it. There was something he wanted to scream at her but his mind couldn't form the words. Not like he had the chance.

"Tao!" She screamed before she ran out of the house.

Looking through the window just above the kitchen sink he saw what freaked her out. Tao was standing a few steps from the forest. _'What's her obsession with that forest?' _He thought as he also ran out.

* * *

Tao wasn't obsessed, she was just lonely. Sure, she had Naruto and Hinata, but she had realized a long time ago that they weren't going to stay with her forever. She wasn't sure how long they were told the mission would last but she knew it wasn't until she was all grown up. What would happen to her when they left?

That's why she couldn't just leave her only friend. That's why she gave Kororo to Yuka, as proof of their friendship. Yuka also gave Tao one of her dolls. It wasn't exactly the most attractive doll, it was dirty and had an eye missing, but it was still a loving gesture.

Or at least that's how she explained to her temporary guardians.

Hinata frowned. What if this was the Wicked's way of marking their next victim? To trick them into being their friend and then strike when their guard was down.

The talk of the Wicked started another argument between Naruto and Hinata, which made it easier for her to go out with her friends. Which in turn made it easier for Tao to sneak out of the house, which in turn makes it easier for the villain of the story to succeed now that the three were seperated.

* * *

Fourteen year old Kohaku led the rest of his undead family through the forest.

He wasn't exactly fourteen anymore. He was, thirty-something years ago, when he died. Then, thirty years ago all fourteen of them were brought back. They just weren't exactly alive anymore, they weren't dead either, they were just there.

That in itself was a cruel punishment. It was especially cruel since they had never done anything wrong. Yes they had misbehaved like all children did, but it didn't seem like enough to be stuck in purgatory.

Their only way out of it was to listen to the one that brought them back. It wasn't that hard, they all wanted the same thing: revenge. Against one man, Ayanami Kensuke.

That's where they were headed. That is, until they heard loud music coming from a clearing. They _had_ to check it out.

* * *

Hinata and Hikaru sat in a small clearing.

They were nearby the halfway point between Rei town and the village. They were also supposed to be in the car but Boken and Maya wanted their privacy. Hinata could imagine what they were doing with the radio all the way up, but she really didn't want to.

To pass the time, Hinata decided to tell Hikaru about everything that had happened to her since she met Tao. Excluding the being a ninja part. According to Hinata, she was Tao's distant cousin. It was a believable lie considering how attached Tao was to her.

Just as she finished her story the blaring music turned to a small hum. Hinata was amazed! Hikaru believed her one hundred percent about Tao's connection to the Wicked. Of course, he couldn't help her in any way but it was comforting nonetheless.

"Hey, guys! You can come back now!" Maya's voice came from across the clearing.

Since it was getting pretty late already and after Hikaru teased Maya about how she was glowing, they decided to leave. Only to find that the tires were stuck in the mud. After making a big deal about it, Boken finally went out to push it while Hikaru tried to drive it out. A scream and a thump were heard, then Boken was gone.

Maya rolled down her window and screamed at her boyfriend, "Boken! If you're just trying to scare us we'll leave you! You've got five seconds to get back here!" She had only half-expected for him to show up since she never went through with her threats, "Five, four, three, two, one and a half, one!"

Still nothing. Maya turned to Hikaru and ordered him to push them out, then ordered Hinata to drive, since she couldn't.

When Hinata settled into the driver's seat she did something that neither of the previous drivers did, she turned on the headlights, revealing a pasty-faced nine-year old with a pick-axe. Who proceeded to walk over the car and stick his pick-axe into an ususpecting Hikaru's chest.

"Drive!" Maya screeched.

More kids appeared and Hinata thought she should run them over. They had just killed her friends! Still, when she managed to drive it out of the mud she couldn't hit them, she just couldn't bring herself to harm a kid.

She swerved to the left and crashed into a tree. Both she and Maya ran out of the car and into the forest. However, Maya screamed at Hinata to stop following her.

"How can you not take them out? They just killed Boken and Hikaru!" She cried and ran the other way.

What could Hinata do? She wanted to help Maya but she couldn't bring herself to hurt a kid. Not even a dead one.

In the end she ran as fast as she could in the direction Maya ran and she was getting worried. Considering she was a ninja she should've caught up to Maya in no time. Could she have gone the wrong way?

She was about to activate her Byakugan, without stopping a step, when she heard a bloodcurling scream. She looked back at the direction it came from and bumped into a body that sent her falling backwards.

Hinata couldn't figure out why she couldn't move. As a shinobi she had faced worse dangers but now she was too afraid to open her eyes. Too afraid to face death.

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A/N: There are only two chapters left in this story, next chpater is when everything is unraveled.

Please read and review!


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